Fifty-two new ICU beds have gone live at Grady Memorial Hospital — an expansion meant to support increased demand the hospital has experienced since WellStar Health System's Atlanta Medical Center closed in October 2022.
Grady previously received a one-time allocation of $130 million from Georgia's federal pandemic funds to support its ability to meet a surge in demand as the city's sole level 1 trauma center. Grady officials previously told Becker's that increased trauma volumes are the most significant effect Atlanta Medical Center's closure has had on their hospital.
Half of the 52 new ICU beds went live in mid-November, with the rest coming online in early December, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported Dec. 12. Prior to the expansion, Grady had 125 ICU beds. The expansion requires about 130 nurses to staff, Shannon Sale, Grady's chief strategy officer, told the publication, adding that the hospital has hired staff to meet that need.
The hospital is also using the state funds to add beds in other areas. It plans to add 90 medical-surgical beds and 24 beds to its rehabilitation services during the first few months of 2024.
Read more about the fallout after Atlanta Medical Center's closure here.